Friday, July 08, 2011

THINGS I did this week

This is Friday and that means Friday Fave Five, an opportunity to focus on what happened during the week that made you pause to be thankful and grateful  Here are mine:

1. The Fourth of July was spent mostly quietly at Willow's Cottage.  Puttering might the the best word to describe the morning.  In the afternoon, we did a few quick choresand tidied up a few things.  The Professor pulled out the grill, and I added a tablecloth to the dining table.  Friends arrived.  We chatted.  We celebrated.  Quietly.

2. One of the things on my Summer Get It Done List is documenting our personal inventory list for our home insurance--what furniture do we own, when and where it was purchased.  You know the drill.  Descriptions, receipts, maybe a photo.  I spent parts of two afternoons writing up a doc. file and reorganizing the notebooks.  Am I finished?  No.  Did I get a good start on it?  Yes.

3. The thing about borrowing books from the library is that when you return them, you find new books to read.  This is not a bad thing. Next up on my reading list:  Bella Tuscany (France Mayes) and I, Claudius (Robert Graves).

4. I have 'this thing' about bunnies.  Where we walk in the evenings, there are bunnies hopping and hiding in almost every garden.  Tall ears; fluffy white tails; brown, tan, grey fur.  I knit furry, wooly and acrylicy bunnies, too.  Here is the latest creation.  This little guy is so new he doesn't have a name yet.  Made of my handspun, hand-dyed wool, he's a very special hopper.  He's on his way to live in San Diego at my daughter Mia's home.


5.  I saved the best thing til last.  Yesterday we drove to the hot, hot interior of Los Angeles County.  Descanso Gardens in La Canada is a delightful place to wander through rose gardens, camellia gardens, Japanese gardens and a large California native garden.  Oak groves are the backbone of many California woodlands and hillsides.
We hiked up the Chaparral Trail past the dry creek beds where in the spring the rain rushes down the hillside and then wandered down through a grove shaded by the high canopy of spreading branches.  I haven't had time yet to finish uploading and sorting the more than one hundred photos I took at Descanso and at Payne's Native Plant Nursery, which was our other destination, but I had to share this unusual sage, Cleveland Sage, with you.  I may be in love...


So that was Willow's Week, the things that occupied my time and interest this week.  You can share your things you did too for Friday Fave Five at Susanne's blog.  Have a great weekend!  Come back during the weekend for more photos of Descano Gardens and Payne's Nursery.

6.  PS:  How could I have forgotten this one??  If you were watching the Mets vs Dodgers game on the Fourth of July, you might have seen some shout outs from deployed servicemen/women shown on the big screen.  One of them was MY BOY!

18 comments:

Brenda said...

I love the bunny! I've seen them in your sidebar and always admired them. Love those gardens you wandered through, looks restful

ellen b. said...

Oh that's so cool that your boy got a shout-out! Love it.
Bet you lost a few pounds on that hot hike! Looking forward to your photos of the garden. I love Descanso Gardens...
New little bunny is very cute!

TXDidi said...

I adore your little bunny. And I am so impressed that he is from handspun yarn, to boot. Good luck with that inventory. It sounds like a big job.

Dorothy said...

I love it when you share bits of the natural beauty of California, Willow! its a state I've not spent much time in so it's fun to "see" it with you. Descanso Gardens are beautiful!

And your little bunny is very cute!

Sara at Come Away With Me said...

I don't know a lot about plants, but I DO know that sage! If that is Salvia Clevelandii "Winifred Gilman" then I'm in love with it too. What a fragrance! And it is evidently native to Southern California....

aspiritofsimplicity said...

Oh that is a sweet little bunny. I love the library! I'm there at least two or three times per month.

Tracy said...

OH, that bunny is so sweet--love that cable knit sweater its wearing too! You are so clever with the bunnies, Willow. Those trees are gorgeous... I'd hug them if I saw them. I'm a tree hugger. ;o) Happy Weekend, my friend ((HUGS))

Barbara said...

So bunny has at last got a friend! Interesting trees Linda.

roxie said...

Yeeha for the shout out! How totally cool! I think your bunny could be Kelly Wellington.

As always, I LOVE your photos!

Susanne said...

Sounds like you had a nice and relaxed holiday.

#2 reminded me I really need to have that kind of a record too. I groan at the thought of so much work.

nikkipolani said...

So glad you had a nice time at Descanso :-) Isn't it funny the focus on libraries this week? I've seen several (besides my own) FFF posts that include libraries. #2 sounds like a big job, but you've made a big dent in it.

Jientje said...

That bunny made me smile, and so did your comment on my blog. I have discovered the library in my town too this week. It was my first time, but I love how many books I get to choose from. I chose two novels and three cookbooks!

Catherine said...

Wow! That must have been exciting to see your son! That's precious! I hope somebody got it on the DVR!

That bunny is adorable, too. Mia will love it!

I'm glad it was a nice fourth and that you got some of your to do list done.

The gardens are beautiful! I'm glad you enjoyed them.
-Catherine

Caroline said...

Oh! I hate to say it, but I think I like your latest bunny even more than Eleanor, ha, ha. He really is cute. I love the detailing in his sweater. I have a couple of new nephews, who I've been planning to knit bunnies for. I just haven't gotten around to it.

Bethany said...

Oh, I wish I could've seen that game! That is really great!!! I love your bunny too-- especially that sweater. You are SO talented! I've been getting my finances organized and I keep thinking of you... I'm clearing the clutter! We had a quiet 4th of July too but sometimes that's just as nice. That flower is incredibly beautiful also.

Mama Mia said...

Sweet, precious bunners! :o) (I picked some paint colors based on the bunny... starting to paint that room this weekend)

Glad you had a good trip to Descanso Gardens! Lovely hiking..

Marg said...

I loved your last thought the most...a shout from your boy...and of course the new little bunny needs a name so he can become part of the family of Charles and Charlotte. Maybe his new home will find the perfect name.

Susan@FruitfulWords said...

A name suggestion for your sweet bunny - C.C.
Skype is the best. When folks from our church went over to Jordan to teach English we skyped a call during church in order to hear and see that they were all well.How awesome that you were able to speak with one of your boys on Skype.

Also cool that another son got a shout out. Sure made watching that game soooo worth it.

How diligent you are on documenting your belongings. That isn't even on my long list of things to do.I know I need to do it, but feel way overwhelmed even thinking about it.

Have a great week.